Study Desk

And Esther spoke yet again before the king and fell down at his feet. And she begged him with tears to put away the evil of Haman the Agagite, and his purpose which he had plotted against the Jews.

Then the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, and Esther rose up and stood before the king,

and said, If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor before him, and the thing is right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to bring back the documents (a sly plot by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite) which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.

For how shall I be able to look on the evil that shall find my people? Or how shall I be able to look on the slaughter of my kindred?

And King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Haman's house to Esther, and they have hanged him on the wooden gallows because he put forth his hand against the Jews.

And you write to the Jews according to the good in your eyes, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring. For the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, there is no taking back.

And the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the twenty third of it. And it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the rulers of the provinces which were from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews; according to their writing and according to their language.

And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king's ring. And he sent letters by riders on horses, riders on stallions, mules, even sons of mares.

In them the king gave to the Jews in every single city the right to assemble, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province, the ones compressing them, little ones and women, and to take what they owned for a prize,

on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

The copy of the writing to be made law in every province was openly revealed to all peoples, even to the Jews being ready for this day, to avenge themselves on their enemies.

The runners, riders on stallions, mules, went out, being hurried and pressed on by the king's command. And the order was given at Shushan the palace.

And Mordecai went out from before the king in apparel of the kingdom, of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple. And the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

For the Jews it was light and gladness and joy and honor.

And in every province and in every city, the place wherever the word of the king and his law touched, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell on them.